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Adenotonsillectomy and the development of overweight

Alet H Wijga1, Salome Scholtens, Marjan H Wieringa

  • 1National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Prevention and Health Services Research, PO Box 1, 3720 BA, Bilthoven, Netherlands. alet.wijga@rivm.nl

Pediatrics
|April 2, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Children undergoing adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy face a higher risk of developing overweight. This surgery may trigger catch-up growth, leading to increased weight gain post-operation.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Otolaryngology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Accelerated weight gain is observed post-adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy in patient studies.
  • The role of adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy as a risk factor for developing overweight in the general population remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy and the subsequent development of overweight.
  • To determine if childhood adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy increase the risk of developing overweight.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 3963 children from the Dutch Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy birth cohort was analyzed.
  • Data on weight, height, surgical history (adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy), and covariates were collected via annual parental questionnaires and investigator measurements at age 8.

Main Results:

  • Adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy between ages 0-7 were significantly linked to overweight and obesity at age 8.
  • Pre-existing overweight at age 2 did not increase the risk of later adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy, ruling out reverse causality.
  • Longitudinal data suggest surgery acts as a turning point, shifting growth from faltering to catch-up, potentially explaining increased overweight risk.

Conclusions:

  • Children who undergo adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy are at an elevated risk for developing overweight in the years following surgery.
  • The findings highlight a critical period of growth alteration after adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy, impacting long-term weight status.
Abstract

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